Railway car coupler positioning device



Dc. 7,1937. w m A 2,101,280

RAILWAY CAR COUPLER POSITIONING DEVICE Filed Aug. 10, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'fnde/ziwi' Dec. 7; 1937. wwR HT 2,101,280

RAILWAY CAR COUPLER POSITIONING DEVICE Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY CAR COUPLER POSITIONING DEVICE Application August 10, 1936, Serial No. 95,125

8 Claims.

One object of my invention resides in the provision of a novel, simple and practical automatic centering device for railway car couplers, which is susceptible to a rugged and compact design well adapted to the requirements of its purpose.

Another object of my invention resides in the provision of a novel, simple and practical manually controlled positioning device for railway car couplers which is particularly adapted for combination with the centering device of my in vention.

With these objects in View my invention consists in certain features of novelty in the con- 15 struction, combination and arrangement of parts by which the said objects and certain other objects, hereinafter appearing, are effected, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the said drawings- Figure 1 is a partial end elevation of a railway car with a part broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional view substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view substan- 30 tially on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, I generally designates a car body involving longitudinally extending center sills 2 and an end sill 3. A coupler throat part generally designated at 4 is arranged at ends of the sills 2 and consists of an outer throat portion involving a top or striker portion 5, side walls 6 and a throat bottom portion comprising a pair of vertically disposed laterally spaced extending wall portions 1.

The side walls 6 are extended inwardly and are secured with the center sills 2, as designated at 8, and the top portion is provided with a flange 9 by means of which it is secured with the end sill 3, as designated at H.

A coupler shank I2 passes through the opening of the throat part, and, as usual, is movable laterally and vertically with respect thereto. A coupler or carrier part i 3 underlies the coupler shank for supporting the same vertically and, associated with the opening of the throat part, is likewise movable laterally and vertically with respect thereto. The carrier part I3 is provided with reduced upwardly ribbed lateral extensions I4, inner transverse ribs of which laterally confine the coupler shank I 2 with the carrier part to the end that the coupler shank and carrier part are substantially fixed with reference to lateral movement.

The carrier part I3 is arranged above the wall portions '1, comprising the throat bottom portion of the coupler throat part, and is provided intermediately thereof with a pair of vertically disposed spaced laterally extending lugs i6 extending downwardly therefrom into the space between the wall portions 7. V

A pair of centering links I! are arranged between the wall portions 1 and the upper ends of these links are disposed between the lugs I6 and are pivotally connected therewith by means of laterally spaced pivot studs [8 engaged in apertures through the lugs l6 and the upper ends of the links H.

The lower ends of the links are pivotally and slidably connected with the wall portions 1 by means of laterally spaced pivot studs H! extending across between the wall portions 1 and preferably formed integrally therewith and longitudinally extending slots 2| in the lower end portions of the links, which slots embrace these studs for pivotal and sliding movement.

The studs 29 are disposed below the studs I8 and are spaced farther apart than the studs l8, so that the planes of the pivotal axes of the links are oppositely inclined laterally and downwardly and outwardly with reference to a vertical plane, and the links have their pivotal en agements with the throat bottom, comprising the wall portions 1, disposed downwardly from their pivotal engagements with the pivot mounting structure, comprising the lugs l6 of the carrier or coupler part l3 and the studs l8.

The. arrangement is such that lateral movement of the coupler shank I2 and with it the coupler carrier It in either direction from a central position, as shown in Figure 3, causes elevation of the coupler shank and carrier part by reason of the corresponding link l1 moving toward a vertical position, as shown in interrupted lines in Figure 3, the other link assuming a more inclined position which is permitted by the slot 2| of the latter link sliding on its pivot stud l9. The coupler shank and coupler are automatically returned to their central position by reason of gravity acting through the instant supporting link, both links being in supporting condition in said central position by reason of both studs l9 bottoming in the slots 2| in said central position.

The links I! thus act independently to carry the coupler shank and coupler carrier on respective sides of the aforesaid central position of the coupler shank and coupler carrier. The wall portions 1 are provided with a downwardly disposed central tie 22 arranged between the links H.

The aforesaid lateral extensions I 4 are operable into openings 23 through the side walls 6 of the coupler throat. Longitudinally movable positioning rods 24 extend laterally in opposite directions from the coupler throat and the coupler carrier l3, and bearing brackets 25, secured to and extending downwardly from the end sill3,

slidably support the outer end portions of the rods 24.

The outer ends of the rods 24 are turned downwardly, as designated at 26, for manual actuation thereof, and the inner end portions of these rods are operable into the openings 23, and the inner ends thereof are turned vertically upward, as designated 21, and are slidably engaged in vertical apertures 28 for manually actuating the coupler shank and coupler carrier laterally by means of either rod 24 for purposes of coupling under circumstances where it is necessary to move the coupler out of its central position. to effect a coupling, say on sharp curves. The rods 24 permit of manual movement of the coupler at a distance therefrom, say from the side of the car, thus minimizing the usual danger incident to coupling.

The inner end portions of the rods 24 have downward bearing engagements with the side walls 6 which are extended by outward projections 29 on the side walls, and the rods do not move vertically with the coupler carrier by reason of the vertical sliding connections therewith.

Having thus described my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details described as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following.

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a car part, a coupler part movable laterally and vertically thereof, a pair of supporting centering links each of which is pivotally engaged at spacedv points thereon with said car and coupler parts, said centering links having the planes of the pivotal axes thereof oppositely inclined laterally with reference toa vertical'plane and having their pivotal engagements with said car part disposed downwardly from their pivotal engagementsv with said coupler part, and at least one ofthe pivotal engagements of each link being, slidable correspondingly with the line of, the pivotal engagements thereof'whereby said links act independently to carry said coupler part on respective sides of a central position of said coupler part in its lateral movement.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a car part, a coupler part movable laterally and vertically thereof, a pair of supporting centering links each of which is pivotally engaged at spaced points thereon with said car and coupler parts, said centering links having the planes of the pivotal axes thereof oppositely inclined laterally and downwardly and outwardly withreference to a vertical plane and having their pivotal engagements with said car part disposed downwardly fromtheir pivotal engagements with said'coupler part, and at least one of the pivotal engagements of each link including a slot formation extending correspondingly with the line of the pivotal engagements thereof whereby said links act independently to carry said coupler part on respective sides of a central position of said coupler part in its lateral movement.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a car part, a coupler part movable laterally and vertically thereof, a pair of supporting centering links each of which is pivotally engaged at spaced points thereon with said car and coupler parts, said centering links being disposed below said coupler part and having the planes of the pivotal axes thereof oppositely inclined laterally and downwardly and outwardly with reference to a vertical plane and having their pivotal engagements with said car part disposed downwardly from their pivotal engagements with said coupler part, the pivotal engagements of said links with said car part including a bearing slot on each link extending along the line of the pivotal engagements thereof.

4. In a device of the character described, the

combination of a coupler throat part provided with a throat bottom portion below the coupler opening thereof, a coupler part associated with said coupler opening above said throat bottom portion and movable laterally and vertically thereof, a pair of supporting centering linksxeach of which is pivotally engaged at spaced portions thereon with said throat bottom portion and said coupler, said centering links having the planes of the pivotal axes thereof oppositely'inclined laterally with reference to a vertical plane and having their pivotal engagements with said throat bottom portion disposed downwardly from their pivotal engagements with said coupler part, the pivotal engagements of each of said linkswith said throat bottom portion being adapted to permit relative movement of eachlink with reference to said throat bottom part corresponding with the lines of the pivotal engagements of the link.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a coupler throat part provided with a throat bottom portion below the coupler opening thereof and comprising a pair of vertically disposed spaced laterally extending wallportions, a coupler part associated with said coupler opening above said throat bottom portion and movable laterally and vertically thereof, pivot mounting structure on said coupler part and extending downwardly therefrom between said wall portions, a pair of centering links arranged between said wall portions and each of which is pivotally engaged at spaced points thereon with said pivot mounting structure. and said throat bottom portion, said centering links having the planes of the. pivotal axes thereof oppositely inclined laterally and downwardly and outwardly with reference to a vertical plane and having their pivotal engagements with saidthroat bottom disposed downwardly from their pivotal engagements with said pivot mounting structure, the pivotal engagements of each of said links with said throat bottom each comprising a pivot pin extending across between said wall portions and fixed on at least one of thesame and a longitudinally extending slot in the link slidably and pivotally engaged with said pin and open at the corresponding end of the link.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a car part, a coupler part movable laterally and vertically thereof, a centering device operative to elevate said coupler part with lateral movement thereof out of a central position and vice versa, a longitudinally movable positioning rod extending laterally from said coupler part,

and an operative connection between said positioning rod and said coupler part for actuating said coupler part from said rod in opposition to said centering device comprising a vertically extending slide bearing permitting vertical movement of said coupler part independently of said rod.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a coupler throat part including side walls, a coupler part associated with the opening of said throat part and movable laterally and vertically with reference thereto, a centering device operative to elevate said coupler part with lateral movement thereof out of a central position and vice versa, a longitudinally movable positioning rod extending laterally from said coupler part and operable into an opening in one of said side walls and having a downward bearing engagement with said side wall, and said rod having its inner end portion extending vertically upward and engaged in a vertical aperture in said coupler part.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a coupler throat part including side walls, a coupler carrier part associated with the opening of said throat part and movable laterally and vertically with reference thereto and provided with lateral extension operable into openings in said side walls, a centering device operative to elevate said carrier part with lateral movement thereof out of a central position and vice versa, a longitudinally movable positioning rod extending laterally from said carrier part and operable into one of said side wall openings and having a downward bearing engagement with said side wall, and said rod having its inner end portion extending vertically upward and engaged in a vertical aperture in the corresponding lateral extension of said carrier part.

WILLIAM WRIGHT. 

